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Re: You make the call: Pollard v. Ridley, 2013 rules

It is a foul if a runner or tackler initiates forcible contact by delivering a blow with the top/crown of his helmet against an opponent when both players are clearly outside the tackle box (an area extending from tackle to tackle and from three yards beyond the line of scrimmage to the offensive team’s end line). Incidental contact by the helmet of a runner or tackler against an opponent shall not be a foul

Re: You make the call: Pollard v. Ridley, 2013 rules

If Frank Gore takes the carry and goes up the middle and lowers his head to try get an extra 1-2 yards, that is not [a penalty] due to not being in "open field". Seems very ambiguous to me, frankly.

Me too. Which is why I posted the example with Ridley and Pollard. Would you say Ridley is in the open field? He's past the line of scrimmage, at the second level, getting hit by the safety, the position so-named because he is the last line of defense. So, is this in the open field? Is Ridley intentionally delivering a blow with the crown of his helmet?

Re: You make the call: Pollard v. Ridley, 2013 rules

Originally Posted by Shas

Me too. Which is why I posted the example with Ridley and Pollard. Would you say Ridley is in the open field? He's past the line of scrimmage, at the second level, getting hit by the safety, the position so-named because he is the last line of defense. So, is this in the open field? Is Ridley intentionally delivering a blow with the crown of his helmet?

Very ambiguous, I'd say.

they defined it, but yes it will not be without controversy: an area extending from tackle to tackle and from three yards beyond the line of scrimmage to the offensive team’s end line

Re: You make the call: Pollard v. Ridley, 2013 rules

Originally Posted by HKusp

The funny thing about that play, Ridley knocked himself out. People who want to put the consequences of that hit on Pollard, aren't being intelectually honest.

This rule change is another example of them trying to change the fundamentals of the game. These guys have been playing their whole lives like that and now the NFL wants them to change the neurological pathways and muscle memory that they have built for 15 years of their lives. Stupid.

I don't necessarily agree with the rule change, but this argument against making changes doesn't really work because it's obviously self-perpetuating. That is: you never change because the current crop of players has always done thing one (wrong) way...which means that every other generation to come along learns it the wrong way too and, hey, can't change it then either.

Re: You make the call: Pollard v. Ridley, 2013 rules

For perspective, Andrew Siciliano on NFL Network reported that the NFL coaches were informed that, in the committee's opinion, in week 17 of the 2012 season there were only "5 or 6" cases where a penalty flag should have been thrown on a running back for leading with the helmet.

It sounds to me like this penalty is only intended to be used rarely (but, effectively, we're all speculating until week 1 of next year).

Re: You make the call: Pollard v. Ridley, 2013 rules

Originally Posted by inexplicable

in week 17 of the 2012 season there were only "5 or 6" cases

That doesn't seem like a rare happenstance. That implies it's going to get called in 75% of the games, week-in-week-out. That's just one more annoying, game-stopping, controversial penalty on top of all the other ones we have to endure each week. If this was the only bad rule we'd have to endure, okay, but to my way of thinking it just adds to the three or four frustrating stoppages every week.

Re: You make the call: Pollard v. Ridley, 2013 rules

Originally Posted by inexplicable

For perspective, Andrew Siciliano on NFL Network reported that the NFL coaches were informed that, in the committee's opinion, in week 17 of the 2012 season there were only "5 or 6" cases where a penalty flag should have been thrown on a running back for leading with the helmet.

It sounds to me like this penalty is only intended to be used rarely (but, effectively, we're all speculating until week 1 of next year).

Re: You make the call: Pollard v. Ridley, 2013 rules

Originally Posted by Shas

Me too. Which is why I posted the example with Ridley and Pollard. Would you say Ridley is in the open field? He's past the line of scrimmage, at the second level, getting hit by the safety, the position so-named because he is the last line of defense. So, is this in the open field? Is Ridley intentionally delivering a blow with the crown of his helmet?

Very ambiguous, I'd say.

I'd say that he def not is in the open field, but I might be wrong. It's an awful rule.